E. Doctor Smith's Blog

Last Friday, I joined one of the "Deans of Montana jazz", saxophonist Wilbur Rehmann, and two of my UFQ bandmates, Sam Peoples on piano, and bassist Ariane Cap at the Cadillac Hotel for their monthly “Concerts at the Cadillac” series. Bought in 1977 by the late Leroy Looper, the Cadillac became the first non-profit “supportive housing” SRO on the West Coast – a national model, and which shaped Leroy’s contribution to San Francisco. Since 2007, the Cadillac has also been home to the Patricia Walkup Memorial Piano – a fully restored, 1884 Steinway Concert Grand. Leroy, who passed away last month, greatly enjoyed these concerts – and I'll always miss not seeing him in the front row each Friday, tapping his feet along to the music. It's been awhile since I trotted out the beloved Gretsch kit for live jazz, however having recently obtained a brand new 8"x 8" Rosewood tom, I decided it was time go all acoustic, especially with Wilbur back in town fo...

For those who missed McCabe & Mrs. Miller's performance of Bruce Springsteen's "Nebraska" at the Pegasus in Berkeley last July, or "were left standing outside because the room was full", are in for a treat. Those rockin' troubadours, Alison Faith Levy & Victor Krummenacher are thankfully, "at it again". The Pegasus event was presented by Joe Christiano, the enjoyable and thoughtful scribe of "First Person Singular", and whom, as the duo puts it,"will be so eloquently introducing" them for this Friday's show at the Make Out Room in San Francisco. This will be the duo's last and only performance of some of Springteen's best loved tunes. McCabe & Mrs. Miller is a collaboration between singer, guitarist Krummenacher (Camper Van Beethoven, Monks of Doom) and singer and pianist Levy (The Sippy Cups, The Loud Family), who in this incarnation plays guitar. McCabe & Mrs. Miller have been rocking shows in ...

Guitarist Adrian Belew, bassist Tony Levin and drummer Pat Mastelotto, members of Robert Fripp's King Crimson, have combined the forces of their trios, the Adrian Belew Power Trio and Stick Men, for the "Two of a Perfect Trio" tour. This double trio is touring the United States this fall, with select Canadian dates."It's a rare treat, both for us in the band, and for the audience, for three King Crimson members to be together onstage", says Levin. And the supporting cast are excellent players in their own right. They will be in full force next Tuesday, October 18th at the Regency Ballroom on Van Ness. The performance will feature two sets with an extended encore of music all featuring King Crimson material. The show will kick off with sets by Stick Men, featuring Mastelotto on electronic and acoustic percussion, Markus Reuter on his self-designed Touch Guitar, and Levin on Chapman Stick; and the Adrian Belew Power Trio with Belew on guitar and vocals, bassi...